Houston councilwoman warns of U.N. agenda in city projects

By Chris Moran |
April 11, 2012
| Updated: April 11, 2012 10:11pm

Houston City Councilwoman Helena Brown voted against a city construction project Wednesday, warning that in signing off on two energy-efficient building projects the council was handing millions of dollars to a "non-American initiative and interests."

It was the first of two occasions during the weekly meeting that Brown suggested city projects were linked to Agenda 21, a non-binding resolution the United Nations passed at the 1992 "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro. The catalog of proposals aims to combat sprawl and promote conservation. Brown voted in favor of the second project she linked to Agenda 21, however, because it came in under budget.

Activists and some politicians see Agenda 21 as a U.N.-led conspiracy to impose worldwide control on people, in part by denying private property rights through the implementation of sustainable growth or "green" initiatives by local and state governments.

A document approved by the Republican National Committee in January refers to Agenda 21 as "a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering, and global political control" that would be "accomplished by socialist/communist redistribution of wealth."

'Destructive' initiative

The RNC document resolves to expose the "destructive and insidious nature" of Agenda 21. Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich mentioned Agenda 21 during a debate in November. Former Texas solicitor general and U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz has called attention to it.

Brown cast the lone vote against approval of the final $27 million contract for the construction of several maintenance garages for city vehicles. The buildings were designed to achieve certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system. Brown described it as part of President Barack Obama's call for the rebuilding of schools and outdated buildings "according to the Agenda 21-tied LEED certification."

"This is the United States of America. We don't answer to anyone but the good old U.S. of A.," Brown said during discussion of the garages. "By this vote we're giving $26 million to a non-American initiative and interests."

Priorities a concern

Brown again brought it up as she joined council in approving the final $26 million cost of the city's new permitting center, also LEED-certified.

Though she voted for the project because it came in under budget, she warned, "Let the citizens of Houston hereby know that promoting expensive artwork and conforming to Agenda 21 has priority over their well-being." She did not answer a colleague's question about what specific information she had about the artwork, and she would not speak to a reporter after the meeting. Parker noted that there is an allowance for artwork and other amenities in new city building construction.

Votes against spending

Parker said she had never heard of Agenda 21 until Wednesday. Her chief economic development officer, Andy Icken, said he had not either. He said the projects were LEED-certified "so we can save money" on energy bills through the inclusion of energy-efficient architectural features.

The councilwoman's string of votes against spending Wednesday targeted items ranging from housing for the homeless to dental care for seniors to family planning.

"How about showing our young people how to free themselves from the slavery of sexual promiscuity and empowering them through abstinence education?" Brown asked in opposing family planning funding. "This nation needs to return to our foundation of Biblical principles being taught in schools versus government trying to educate folks in how to plan a family when they can't even define a family."